When choosing flux core wire for your welders, there are certain basics things one needs to understand to determine which flux wire best fits into your welder. And sometimes trying to figure out which flux core wire is best to use can be a headache. Especially if you have tried a whole lot of bad welding flux-cored wires out there and none seems to feed properly or give you a good welding experience.
To be honest, without adequate knowledge and understanding of the proper applications, characteristics, advantages, and limitations of the flux core wire you tend to choose anytime soon, this might end up being bad for your flux-cored welding tasks. Therefore, in this article, we are going to dive in a bit into some basics of choosing the best flux core wire before going Into reviewing the top 5 flux core wires out there in the market right now.
You can be assured with more knowledge, you would be able to choose and use flux core wires confidently on all your flux-cored welding applications – all by yourself.
Each brand of flux core wires comes with advantages and disadvantages which may include high feeding rates, perfect bead appearance, and ability to weld even thicker materials, high strength welds, and strong impact values. Also, there is the ability of individual flux core wire to be able to match different welding bases.
Although pre-cleaning is necessary for any welding practices, with flux core wires, you might not really have to go into that much often, however, I would advise you always do the precleaning, the results are definitely always better. The most amazing thing about the flux core wires we found as the best 5 in the market is the fact that they do not require professional or extremely trained personnel to operate them for welding flux core, they are designed to fit newbies absolutely.
A general disadvantage of flux core wires is that in contradiction to not needing so much pre-cleaning, post-weld cleaning is a must, it is such an irony but it is what it is if you want to have a good weld. This is necessary because both gas-shielded and self-shielded wires produce slag always. This can be removed by chipping or wire brushing when the final pass is completed, although you can opt to do that in between weld passes. It all depends on you and what you think works best.
All that being said let’s dive into the best flux wires out there in the marketing right now that guaranteed an efficient flux core welding experience. Zero shielding gas, perfect flux-cored welders. Let’s dive in.
Top 5 best flux wire
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: Image Title Buy Blue Demon E71TGS .035 X 2# Spool Gasless Flux Core Welding Wire Buy Now INETUB BA71TGS .030-Inch on 2-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Gasless Flux Cored Welding Wire Buy Now Forney 42300 Flux Core Mig Wire, Mild Steel E71TGS.030-Diameter, 2-Pound Spool Buy Now Top Lincoln Electric ED030584, MIG Welding Wire, NR-211-MP.035, Spool - 2 Pack Buy Now WeldingCity E71T-GS Flux Core Gasless Mild Steel MIG Welding Wire 0.045" (1.2mm) 10-lb Spool Buy Now
The 6 Best Flux Core Wire
- Blue Demon E71TGS .035 X 2# Spool Gasless Flux Core Welding Wire
The Blue Demon flux core welding wire has everything it takes to make the top spot of all flux core wire we ended up testing. I have to say this has impressed me exceptionally. The Clean tip, good ground, clean steel, and machine settings get me giddy all the time. I could get rolls of this over and over again.
Although the Blue Demon E71TGS flux wire is mainly built for professionals, in as much as you like to be able to build or fix things on your own then Blue Demon E71TGS could be the perfect flux wire for your welder flux core operation as long as you’re willing to learn and follow the instructions properly. The blue demon wire works great, runs smooth, lays down a great bead, and requires very little clean up afterward…
The Blue Demon E71T-GS is an all-position, single-pass, flux cored welding wire designed to weld carbon steel. The unique quality of this product is that you do not have to use a shielding gas as they are self-shielding. This flux cored wire, Blue Demon E71TGS, is designed to perfectly fit into welding thin carbon and carbon-manganese steels in all positions. And what makes it really unique is its easily removable slag, versatility.
Its versatility is second to none and you can make use of the blue demon E71T flux wire on automobile body repairs, Tanks, Boilers, Steel structural works, Earthworks and Construction works. It is such a great flux wire for welding outdoors or in drafty Conditions. And it’s the wire you should definitely go for if you are looking for a perfect welding experience with quality wire to weld mild steel.
Pros
- Flux wire allows welding in various positions
- The blue demon has different ranges of diameter sizes ranging from 0.030 to 0.045
- Reel weight range: 2lb, 10lb, 30lb
Cons
- More suitable for professionals
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- INETUB BA71TGS .030-Inch on 2-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Gasless Flux Cored Welding Wire
I once met with a professional welder who has been welding and fabricating for over 20 years. and have worked in all kinds of industries from welding on the farm and ranch to the oil fields as well as few outdoor household welding and in his professional opinion, this would have been the best flux core wire if the blue demon E71TGS was not in the market.
The INETUB BA71TGS is pretty much acceptable for any kind of project and the wire performs in all kinds of positions ranging from uphill, downhill, and overhead. I mean all positions there is to be. However, this might turn out to be a flux core wire made for professionals as well just like the blue demon on our top spot but there are always ways around a welding wire like this one for newbies. First of all, you need to make sure you are following the manufacturer’s welding instructions carefully, the flux core wire is way different from the typical solid wire for MIG, you have to make sure the polarity is rightly in place, the flux core welding wire usually requires direct current electrode.
Also, do the needful and prepare your base metal as you should before welding mild steel or another steel type, this would really determine the appearance of your weld and the overall quality of your welding project. Overall, If you take your time and follow the instructions properly, you’ll be a better welder on steel, mild steel, or stainless steel before you know it.
With the INETUB flux core wire for mild steel and stainless steel, you don’t have to worry about having problems with the arc dying or inconsistent heat penetration. The welds work just as it should. And with this to be honest all of your welding problems are about to go away. The arc of this wire is so consistent that you might overstep the duty cycle of your welder. The weld quality comes out excellent and the penetration is perfect.
A unique feature of this flux core wire would be the very low splatter it gives on the welder, Blue Demon might seem much better but the manufacturers of this product are not out there to joke, this particular flux core wire has so much excellent penetration. If you’re using a 110 HF welder, this is a perfect fit for excellent control of the bead.
Pros
- Very low spatter
- Perfect for every welding position possible
- Requires no shielding gas
- Excellent for outdoor welds of mild steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, and other steel types
Cons
- Might get stuck during weld if you don’t set up the wire right
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- Forney 42300 Flux Core Mig Wire, Mild Steel E71TGS.030-Diameter, 2-Pound Spool
Over the years we have been used to the Blue Demon and the INETUB, until I found this exquisite flux core wire that goes for about the same range of price and I have to say I found the Forney flux core wire, to be as good as the INETUB BA71TGS and the Blue Demon, although, these two flux wires edges the Forney wire just a little bit when it comes to steel welding, mild steel especially. But I would recommend this for any welder, especially if you have a Forney welder. However, if you are using a 0.030 flux core MIG wire, I would recommend using 0.035 tips to prevent the wire from sticking/clogging the tip.
This flux core after running a few beads, you’re assured there will be a lot less to spatter so it works so excellently in 110v 90A welder for mild steel weld and stainless steel weld. Even as a non-professional welder, you should be able to have perfect welding with the flex core wire. It works well when you are in a pinch and don’t have a bottle of MIG Gas handy. However to have a good welding experience with the wire on steel, finding the heat and speed is key as well as preparing the metal before weld.
The flux core wire arcs well, and you can weld in various directions, moving right along is never an issue. It’s A shade or two brighter than a solid core wire (on mild steel and stainless steel weld) with gas but that shouldn’t be an issue as long as you keep that in mind before making your first strike ark.
Pros
- Gas not needed with Argon/CO2 mixture
- It is an excellent flux core wire for outdoors
- High speed of penetration for a deep weld pool on thick mild steel
- It is the hottest wire out there
- Can be used in all positions for MIG welding
Cons
- For non-professionals, creating a good arc for the first time could be a little difficult
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- Lincoln Electric ED030584, MIG Welding Wire, NR-211-MP.035, Spool
In terms of flux core wires, the Lincoln Electric has been in the market for a really long time and its really trusted among welder operators, the wire delivers clean welds in a very efficient manner while ensuring you are getting an excellent bead appearance. It is also designed to make sure you don’t have difficulties dealing with slag removal as it is in the case of some other flux core wires.
The Lincoln Electric ED030584 is designed mainly for MIG wire feed welders and should be strictly used for MIG welders if you intend to produce quality welds on your mild steel. This flux core wire gives the best weld results when welding in moderate wind conditions with no tenting
Pros
- The price is the most affordable on the list and it doesn’t sacrifice efficiency for it
- It is capable of welding any kind of steel
- Very low spatter
- Slag can be removed easily
- High tensile strength of 79KSI
Cons
- Unlike others on this list, it has only 0.03 and 0. 035 sizes available
- It has a lightweight
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- WeldingCity E71T-GS Flux Core Gasless Mild Steel MIG Welding Wire 0.045″ (1.2mm) 10-lb Spool
When I had the opportunity to try out this wire I was a bit skeptical about it because it was something I wasn’t really used to but I have to say I am highly impressed and this is one of the best wires I have run through my machine.
It flows through the gun so smoothly and welds clean with minimal spatter and most importantly there isn’t an excessive amount of flux build upon the weld. It is a flux wire I would definitely want to try again sometime
It is designed with an excellent vacuum packaging and burns smoothly, as much as I am concerned everything this weld ends up holding up well.
More importantly, this flux wire makes welding so much easier because it gives a smooth feed that runs so smoothly and affirms a durable weld while producing very minimal splatter. However, a downside with this would be the fact that the wire might sometimes get stuck on the spool gun along the way, and from my experience, I have to say this could cause a lot of headaches in the process of welding. But overall this is a great wire for a great price you can’t go wrong with this especially as a beginner.
Pros
- A premium tool for such an affordable price
- Suitable for beginners who are practicing MIG weld
- The flux wire comes in 3 diameters, the 0.030, 0.035 and 0.045
- Provides a very smooth wire feeding
Cons
- Wire sometimes might get stuck along the spooling
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Conclusion
In the end, you would realize choosing the best flux wires for your welds might not really be such a difficult task, you just have to know the features you are looking for and based on your weld skill level decide which fits best, as well as choosing the flux core wire that suits your welders. Overall, these five flex core wires are in the best position to give you the best welding experience.